Shoe repairer
Also known as: boot maker, shoe maker, boot repairer, cobbler, shoe polisher
About this occupation
Shoe repairers repair and renew deteriorated footwear and other items like belts or bags. They use hand tools and specialised machinery to add soles and heels, replace worn-out buckles and clean and polish shoes.
A specialisation of shoemaker.
Essential skills and knowledge
- apply assembling techniques for cemented footwear construction
- use tools for shoe repair
- maintain customer service
- manual cutting processes for leather
- apply stitching techniques
- maintain equipment
- provide customer information related to repairs
- footwear equipments
- apply footwear finishing techniques
- footwear machinery
- perform manual cutting for footwear uppers
- repair shoes
Typical tasks and preparation
From the related US occupation profile Prosthodontists (O*NET 29-1024.00). Linked by an official crosswalk: related, not identical; details vary by country.
- Examine patients to diagnose oral health conditions and diseases.
- Fit prostheses to patients, making any necessary adjustments and modifications.
- Replace missing teeth and associated oral structures with permanent fixtures, such as implant-supported prostheses, crowns and bridges, or removable fixtures, such as dentures.
- Measure and take impressions of patients' jaws and teeth to determine the shape and size of dental prostheses, using face bows, dental articulators, recording devices, and other materials.
- Collaborate with general dentists, specialists, and other health professionals to develop solutions to dental and oral health concerns.
- Design and fabricate dental prostheses, or supervise dental technicians and laboratory bench workers who construct the devices.
- Typical education (US)
- Post-Doctoral Training
- Preparation
- Job Zone 5 of 5
- Interests
- Realistic, Investigative, Social
Top skills: Active Listening, Speaking, Critical Thinking, Complex Problem Solving, Reading Comprehension, Monitoring
US median pay: US$311,180 a year (2025), 870 employed. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Subjects this work relies on
How important each subject's knowledge is in the job itself, rated by people doing it (1 to 5).
- Business Studies or EntrepreneurshipO*NET: Administration and ManagementImportant (3.4)
- English or Literature in EnglishO*NET: English LanguageImportant (3.3)
- BiologyO*NET: BiologyImportant (3.2)
- PsychologyO*NET: PsychologyImportant (3.0)
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Preparation needed
Job Zone Five: Extensive Preparation Needed
- Most common education (US)
- Post-Doctoral Training
- Education
- Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
- Experience
- Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
- Training
- Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.
Related occupations
Occupations O*NET links to this one by similar work, skills and knowledge.
- Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
- Dentists, General
- Orthodontists
- Pediatric Surgeons
- Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric
- Dermatologists
- Ophthalmologists, Except Pediatric
- Dental Hygienists
- Podiatrists
- Urologists
O*NET data describe work in the United States; requirements differ by country. This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerProof Global has modified all or some of this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.